(1) Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to devices providing a ramp into a truck bed, and extending a truck bed for the carrying of vehicles that are too long to carry with the tailgate raised.
(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Pickup trucks have become more prevalent, and their uses have become more varied. All terrain vehicles (ATVs) and similar vehicles have likewise become more commonplace, and often are a necessity for many agricultural and recreational endeavors. ATVs are often transported in the bed of a pickup truck. And although the overall size of some pickup trucks has increased, the length of some truckbeds has either decreased or otherwise been rendered less capable of meeting the increasing needs of pickup truck users; one prime example is the increasing use of toolboxes and lockers that often essentially span the width of the truckbed, and are attached to the truck near the forward wall of the truckbed beneath the rear window of the cab of the pickup truck. Moreover, some pickup trucks are sold with shortened truckbeds. Many pickup trucks have gotten taller as well, making it more difficult to load items into the truckbed. Similarly, pickup trucks often load or unload items in hilly terrain, making loading or unloading more difficult when the truckbed is uphill from the loading area. There is indeed a need for a manner of extending the length of the truckbed, and possibly providing a ramp to assist in loading the truckbed with ATVs or other items for transport.
Devices to facilitate ramping into carrying vehicles such as pickup trucks have been available for several years. Known in the art are the following, arguably related to the patentability of the present invention:
1st NAMEDU.S. Pat. No.ISSUE DATEINVENTOR4,864,673Sep. 12, 1989Adaway5,244,335Sep. 14, 1993Johns5,273,335Dec. 28, 1993Belnap5,312,149May 17, 1994Boone5,468,114Nov. 21, 1995Hickerson5,536,958Jul. 16, 1996Otis5,803,523Sep. 8, 1998Clark6,447,040Sep. 10, 2002Young, Sr.6,454,338Sep. 24, 2002Glickman6,722,721Apr. 20, 2004Sherrer6,749,246Jun. 15, 2004Lanwehr6,811,067Nov. 2, 2004Muizelaar6,834,903Dec. 18, 2004Harper
U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,114 issued to Hickerson discloses a truck loading device comprising a frame fixedly secured to the truck bed, and having a pair of parallel slideways between which a forward ramp slides; a rearward ramp is hingedly attached to the forward ramp's rear edge. In operation, the rearward ramp (a substitute tailgate) is hinged down to its horizontal position (aligned with the attached forward ramp, and secured), then the two-ramp assembly is pulled rearward until hook members engage abutment members of the frame to stop further rearward pulling of the ramps. This patent does not disclose a telescopically sliding ramp slidably received within the tailgate extension.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,335 issued to Johns discloses a telescopic tailgate ramp comprising a base tray holding a series of telescopically connected trays that replace the tailgate when in their nested retracted configuration, and which form a ramp when extended telescopically. This patent does not disclose a casing anchored to a truck bed, like the invention described herein; neither does this patent disclose a telescopically sliding tailgate extension.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,523 issued to Clark et al discloses an extendable support system comprising a series of support panels slidably interlocked to adjacent support members by slide rails, and having stop tabs configured to limit the extension of each panel. This patent does not disclose a casing anchored to a truck bed, a telescopically sliding tailgate extension slidably received within the casing, or a hinged attachment of the trailing edge of the ramp to the rearmost edge of the tailgate extension.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,246 issued to Lanwehr discloses tailgate ramps having sections that extend via a pivoting connection at each end, the end edge of one section also including a downward opening C-channel that essentially hooks the end of the truck to attach the ramp to the truck. This patent does not disclose a casing anchored to a truck bed, a telescopically sliding tailgate extension slidably received within the casing, or a telescopically sliding ramp.
Other unpatented prior art my include ramping systems common on many “18-wheeler” trailers, wherein the unjointed ramp slides rearward on slide rails from beneath the trailer, stopping when fully extended.